Jal Sahelis became the pride of Bundelkhand

Jubilee News Desk 

• Honored by the President
• Through the Jal Saheli model, women across the country are getting involved in water conservation.

Keeping in view the efforts of women in water conservation, for the first time the Central Government has honored these women. Jal Sahelis of Lalitpur, Jhansi and Chhatarpur were honored by President Draupadi Murmu and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday. Jal Saheli Sharda Devi of Lalitpur and Ganga Devi of Chhatarpur were given Swachh Swajal Shakti Samman by the President at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi and Geeta Devi of Jhansi was given Water Warriors Samman by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Sanjay Singh, secretary of Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan, told that women in the country have come forward for water conservation after being inspired by the Jal Sahelis.

Jal Saheli model started a decade ago and now its impact is visible.  Today, more than 1100 Jal Sahelis are working in the field of water conservation in 7 districts of the country.  Inspired by the works of Jal Sahelis, now other women across the country are also making efforts for water conservation. Women will be inspired and join the campaign for water conservation after Jal Sahelis are honored by the President.  Sanjay Singh’s dream is that at least one Jal Saheli should be active in the field of water conservation in all the villages of Bundelkhand. The organization has been running a campaign for water conservation and promotion in Bundelkhand for a long time through Pani Panchayat and Jal Saheli model.

Sharda of Vijaypura village, Talbehat, Lalitpur started a campaign to make the dry Barua river watery in her village and made an earthen dam by filling sand in empty sacks. Sharda says that only the men used to take decisions in the house, I could not live without purdah (veil), but in spite of everyone’s opposition, we came out and built a check dam by joining more than three dozen women of the village with us. Fighting superstition to bring water to her village, Ganga Devi of Chaudharykhera village of Badamalehra block of Chhatarpur revived the dry pond again.

She says that there was a belief that whoever tries to bring water to the pond, his lineage will be destroyed, but we thought it was better to die than to have no water.  We prepared more than two dozen women of the village and excavated the dilapidated pond.  After the rain, now the pond is full, due to which the whole village is getting water.

Geeta, a resident of Manpur village of Babina block, Jhansi, has also received the honour.  Jal Saheli Geeta took the responsibility of repairing the outlet of the Chandelkalin pond of her village and with the help of the organization, fixed the outlet so that the water stopped in the pond.  Now with the water of this pond, irrigation is done in her village.